Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
He was standing right there in front of me, and I could see that he was wearing the same black suit he always wore. He even had on the same crisp-white shirt, but I still had to ask, “Matteo? Is that really you?”
“Yeah, it’s me.” He looked over his shoulder, checking to make sure no one was behind him, then stepped closer to the gate as he whispered, “The guys said you were still alive, but I didn’t believe it. I saw Antonio shoot you. I thought for sure you were dead and gone.”
“Yeah, well... I thought the same about you.”
“Why would you think that?”
Even though I was curious to know how his necklace had ended up at Billy’s, I didn’t have time to get into it with him—not when someone could spot us at any second. “It’s nothing. I was just surprised to see you here.”
“Well, it’s a good thing you did. If it had been one of the others...” He nervously glanced over his shoulder again, then fussed, “You shouldn’t have come back here. Antonio’s been looking all over for you.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“Then, you know you can’t be here. You gotta go.” He placed his face right up to the metal bars as he pushed, “You gotta go now before someone sees you.”
“I can’t.”
“Why the hell not?”
I’d gone there thinking all hope was lost and I would surely die, but seeing Matteo and feeling that same camaraderie that I’d always felt when we were together, stirred something inside of me. I started to feel hope that there might be another option. “Remember how I helped you make the money for your car and then your house?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I remember.”
“You remember how you said you owed me one?”
“Yeah? What about it?”
“It’s time to pay up.” I wrapped my fingers around the metal bar as I pleaded, “I need your help.”
Matteo looked up at the security camera, and a concerned look crossed his face. He glanced over his shoulder again, double checking that no one was around, then he eased the gate open and tugged me inside. He led me over to a tall, thick bush and asked, “Help with what?”
“Is there a young woman in the house?” I didn’t want to say too much, but I needed to be clear, so I added, “Someone Antonio has locked away somewhere?”
“Whoa.” His eyes narrowed as he asked, “How did you know that?”
“Because I’m the reason she’s here.” I knew there was a good chance that he would refuse, but I had to try. “I gotta get her out of there. I need you to take me to her.”
“What!”
“I have to help her, Matteo. Her life is in danger because of me!” I didn’t have the time or luxury of going into lengthy detail about who Kiersten was or why she’d been taken, so I simply told him, “I have to help her, and there are only two ways I can do that. I can either turn myself in to Antonio and end this thing now, or I can...”
“You’re not turning yourself in!” Matteo fussed. “He’ll kill you if you do.”
“Then, you have to take me to her. It’s the only way.”
“You know what Antonio will do to us if he finds out!”
“Yes, I know perfectly well what he’ll do.” I reached over and placed my hand on his arm. “But it’s something I have to do. And if you help, I promise to make it worth your while.”
“And how are you gonna do that?”
“I’m going to help you get out of here. I’m going to help you start a new life and…”
“That’s never gonna happen, Everleigh.” He sounded utterly disheartened as he muttered, “I’m in this for good. Antonio’s never gonna let me walk away. You know that.”
“Yes, but he won’t be an issue— at least not for much longer.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
I heard a couple of men’s voices off in the distance, which startled me. I feared we might have been seen, so I stepped further into the bushes as I urged, “I don’t have time to explain. You’re just going to have to trust me. Antonio won’t be a problem for much longer.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“There are people who are upset with him for taking the girl. They’re coming for him.”
“Yeah, well, people have come for him before.”
“These guys are different.” I thought back to Viper and his brothers, remembering just how big and intimidating they were, and added, “These guys are like nothing you’ve ever seen before, and they’re going to kill Antonio for taking her. No doubt about it, and if you’re still around when they get here, they’ll kill you, too.”
“You trying to scare me?”
“I’m just telling you like it is.” I reached up and placed the palm of my hand on his chest. “Please, Matteo. You don’t belong here. You never have. You know that. We both do.”